


Softly Swaying

by SnekyDoodle



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:07:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21685783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnekyDoodle/pseuds/SnekyDoodle
Summary: All wounds eventually become scars, and all pain eventually becomes a memory.New pain may decide to take its place, but I’ll always be there to help you along the way.Steven knows Spinel’s problems don’t have to be solved by him, after all he has his own issues to attend to, yet that doesn’t mean he won’t be willing to at least try.
Relationships: Spinel & Steven Universe, Spinel/Steven Universe
Comments: 5
Kudos: 45





	Softly Swaying

  
Water dripped silently from the tap, falling smoothly with the sounds of soft rain pattering outside the temple’s doors. The room was quite other than the pink gem’s and hybrid’s slow breathing.

The overall setting was just serene and eerie in a way. The dim lights reflected on his friend’s heart shaped gem, it’s perfect facets glittering beautifully, little flecks of light reflected against the ground where the light bounced and struct the different surfaces. Her expression was lit up with a small flame of a candle sat gently on the coffee table in front of them, encasing the raw emotion held there.

The young male had to admit, whenever the poor gem was even in the smallest midst of being upset, it stung him like a hornet’s terrible bite. Seeing her break down for the first time was like watching someone fall apart, not only in a mental sense, but a physical one too. It was like watching a death. He couldn’t look away, and he had felt so powerless to help. This poor gem had been the first thing to ever leave him speechless for how deep her trauma ran.

”Spinel?” He watched the gem’s small head perk up, her tired eyes widening, her spiraled pupils dilating. She gingerly turned herself to gaze at him with those longing, agonized eyes. He felt his heart drop at the raw emotion held there, subconsciously lifting a hand to rub his chest.

”Yes, Steven..?” Her voice was quiet and small, somehow coming off as a bit sweet and kind, glazed over with pain and suffering. Steven offered her a hesitant smile, scooting himself ever-so-slightly over, one arm lifted affectionately to carefully wrap around her shoulders, leaving her to lean solemnly into his caring hold.

”You looked down. Is.. something up?” Steven murmured, his low volume ringing caring and silently throughout the quiet space inside his small home. Spinel’s pupils looked up to him for a moment, before they shifted and looked down to the side, her body twisting delicately in his hold. She rested the back of her head against his chest, closing her eyes and letting out a soft, saddened sigh.

”I..” she started, trailing off her speech for a small moment. “I don’t know..”

Tilting his head, Steven moved his arms to rest his hands over her gem, offering her the comfort he could tell she needed. He felt her take another deep breath, releasing it with a tiny whimper.

”I’ve felt.. _strange_ , recently.” She began again with hesitance in her tone. “A feeling.. inside me. Almost like how I felt.. _then_ , when I first came here. But..”

She turned to press her head against Steven’s chest, her tiny arms moving to wrap around Steven’s more built frame, covering her face in the fabric of his dark shirt and bright pink jacket.

”It _hurts_. And I don’t know how— I don’t know.. how..” Steven’s breath hitched when the gem broke into a sob, her thin frame’s shaking moving to trembling. Her chest heaved with ragged breathing, tears soaking his shirt and through to his chest. The heart wrenching sound of Spinel’s cries ricocheted throughout the temple, reaching Steven’s senses solemnly.

His hand moved to gently comb through the pink gem’s hair, sniffing sadly with a small movement to pull Spinel upwards, letting her dig her head into his shoulder, in between his neck, moving slowly to a more comfortable position. Steven offered small coos of comfort, shushing her quietly, silently whispering to her that it would be ok, everything was going to get better. Someday, somewhere, somehow, she was going to feel better. She would feel found.

Steven had no idea how much time had passed before Spinel finally calmed down, her body resting delicately against him, eyes closed with the remains of her shallow tears dripping silently down her darkened cheeks. Their tracks glittered brightly against the mascara tear marks that symbolized her agony oh so well, the sight of her lying so weak in her pain send chills down Steven’s spine.

It didn’t suit how energetic she had once been. Seeing her so still didn’t suit the murderous rampage he’d seen her go wild with before. Lying so still like that sent an even colder chill throughout his entire being.

”Spinel?” He whispered, concerned, awaiting a response, whether it be curling up more, or a soft answer in an exhausted voice. Spinel gave no response, her form slack and silent.

Steven could just barely hear her small, quiet breathing in his ear, waiting apprehensively on anything for a bit, before coming to the terms she either passed out from the weight of her emotions, or fell asleep trying to come down from her agonizing sadness. Steven held her there for a while, stroking her hair delicately as of comforting a dying animal.

His gaze turned to the storm brewing outside, the rain pattering lightly against the windows. Steven moved himself, holding Spinel tight, forcing his legs to stand up. Once off the couch, he bent down, gingerly lying Spinel down where they’d once sat, feeling a single tear slip down his cheek. It hurt seeing her in so much pain, so much so that sometimes even her own light-composed form and fragile consciousness couldn’t keep up with how deep the wounds cut.

It really made him rethink his mom, Pink Diamond, Rose Quartz, the gem in his very being. She left her in that terrible garden, took her sanity and twisted it till it broke, took her heart and snapped it in two, played with her emotions like a damned fiddle, only to throw her to the wolves when she was of no use anymore.

It hurt Steven to think that he had the gem of the very being who did this to her. It hurt Steven to have the gem that caused so much pain, so much suffering, and so much agony to so many different beings alike.

Mellowly, Steven let himself thump down against the ground, his back pressed on the legs of the couch. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, staring out of the window with a hollow look.

Sometimes, it just seemed hard to exist at all.


End file.
